Other Halves
by Bonham Squad
Summary: As Bellatrix's fifth year at Hogwarts begins, she prepares for a completely average term. But nothing at Hogwarts is average, and what she finds is something she had no idea she was unprepared for. (Rated M for future chapters)
1. Fifth Year

_For Bella/Alyssa. My fab twin forever._

* * *

Finally cleared for boarding, the shiny red train was swarmed with students as they poured into the cars. Since houses typically separated by car, it was always easy to spot the first years at the front of the train both anxious and eager to part from their families. Small and naïve, they were in for an unforgettable first term.

Bellatrix Black stood and pushed back the black curly mane from her face as she watched her family say their goodbyes to the youngest sister Narcissa before she boarded with the other first years.

She then noticed out of the corner of her eye, a group of fourth years had stopped whatever they were discussing and were looking right at her. Slightly uncomfortable, she threw them a threatening look, something that was all too natural to her, and turned to board the train herself.

Since her first year at Hogwarts, Bella's features had become considerably more…defined. The summer holiday seemed to be the final wind of a sterling transformation, in fact. She had grown slightly taller, and having spent many hours outdoors, there was a sun kissed radiance about her. Her body had slimmed down, but it couldn't hide the now womanly figure every girl waits so patiently to attain. Her sleek legs extended from a thin waist and curved hips, which were topped by a rather enviable chest and long neck. Accompanied by a face seemingly carved from marble with cheekbones that could cut glass were dark eyes that gave Bella her intense aura.

This natural revamp, as well as many of the other students' did not go unnoticed, garnering looks from many others. Her friends greeted her on the platform, all relieved about leaving their awkward, ungainly years behind them.

Bella wasn't one to focus entirely on physicality, she thought it was overrated, but she finally felt as though people would simply _look_ at her and be intimidated, a feeling in which she reveled.

In the midst of her Slytherin friends, she boarded the train and spotted an unclaimed area of seats. Sitting down by the window she leaned her back against the wall and stretched her legs out. She hoped no one would sit next to her, preferring a somewhat quiet train ride. This desire was shattered when a third year came and took the seat across from her. Sighing, she looked to her sister.

"Cissy get on alright?" she asked, somewhat bored.

"Yeah," answered Andromeda. There was a brief moment of silence before Andromeda took in a breath to speak, only to be cut off immediately by Bella.

"If you're going to sit here, you're gonna have to not talk," she ordered, pulling out a magazine and setting it on her lap. Following her sister's request, Andromeda closed her mouth and ran her fingers through her straight chestnut hair. Then she leaned back in the seat just as the train started to move.

A few hours passed and the sky had grown darker, warm light emanating from the train's windows. The chatter and laughter of reunited friends had died down considerably, the ambiance transformed into a quiet murmur of stories and gossip. Some people had nodded off, others quietly reading books, some writing or drawing, something to pass the time. Bella put down her last magazine and turned to look out the window.

"You think she'll like it? School?" Andi asked.

"Of course she will. It's Narcissa," Bella responded, still watching the dark landscape. She looked back at Andi when there was no response.

"For god's sake, she'll be fine. You saw her at Diagon Alley, she could barely stay in one shop for more than two seconds." Bella's focus was redirected when someone called her name a few seats up.

"Bella! Come here, you've got to see this!"

It was her good friend Imogen Wespurt, standing up in a huddle of her other friends all looking at something of particular interest. Bella smiled and brought her feet down to put on her shoes. As she slid them on and straightened to stand up, she addressed Andi again.

"Look, I get it. We're the older sisters. We're supposed to look out for her. But my first year I was on my own, and I'm fine. There's a point when you've got to stop treating her like a baby, the sooner she makes her own friends the better because I am _not _going to be toting her around all year," she stood and walked over to join her friends, leaving Andromeda to herself.

. . .

After second year, the sorting ceremony became incredibly boring. But, looking up after hearing Narcissa's name called, Bella actually felt a twinge of excitement for her little sister. Entirely certain she would be placed in her own house, it was no surprise when the hat called Slytherin. Applause from the Slytherin table thundered as she took her place among her new housemates, waving to Bella and Andromeda before sitting down. Bella smiled and couldn't help but be proud.

As the evening went on and the sorting ceremony over, the great hall was filled with exuberant voices and loud prattle. The professors sat at their table conversing among themselves while watching the enthusiastic newcomers greeting new friends with bright eyes.

Bella sat and ate with her friends as they gossiped and laughed. Boys seemed to be their topic of interest for the most part; something Bella simply had no interest in discussing. She was not one to gush over chiseled looks and crystal blue eyes. She still joined in the fun of seeking out former acquaintances, what she found though was something she had no idea she was unprepared for.

Tom Riddle sat a little ways down on the opposite side of the table and something about him managed to catch Bella's eye for more than a mere second. She looked at him for a moment, slightly intrigued. Indeed, his features had also seemed to morph from past years. He went from a boy into something of a striking man. With his strong jaw and bone structure matched with his height, there couldn't have been one person, girls particularly, that let him go undetected.

Bella's gaze held even longer as he smiled, laughing at something a friend might have said. As she wondered why they had never really talked to each other, his glance doubled back and then they were both looking at each other.

Bella suddenly realized her open staring and embarrassed, broke eye contact by looking down at her plate, leftover food in neat scattered piles.

Tom looked back at her, mainly curious as to why she was looking at him. His curiosity inadvertently turned to interest and before he could nod acknowledgement or give a smile, her eyes darted away. Embarrassed, he also looked back to his group of friends, but wondered to himself why he hadn't noticed Bellatrix Black before that evening. Sure, he had seen her, not really knowing anything about her other than what he heard from others, but he hadn't truly _noticed._

Leaving the great hall to go to their dormitories, Tom found himself close behind Bellatrix, the dark bouncing waves hard to mistake. He merely followed her closely until they came to Slytherin's common room where room assignments were given. The first years stood in a group as names were called, and the other students started off to bed. Trunks were earlier delivered to each student's room, but bags and other luggage such as animals were left in the common room.

Bella was struggling slightly as she tried to remove her luggage from underneath a stack of others. Finally managing to get it free, she accidentally caused a small avalanche of suitcases. Bella tried to stop it, but she couldn't possibly manage it without making a complete mess. Thankfully another student strode in quickly enough to stop them all from toppling and set them straight.

"Oh, thanks," Bella exhaled as she bent down to grab her bag. But a hand extended in front of her and grabbed the handle before she could. About to object, entirely annoyed that someone would try to take her bag, she looked up and saw that now unmistakable pair of dark eyes set above some ungodly high cheekbones and all thoughts seemed to escape her.

"Hi," he said. His voice seemed to match his face perfectly, deep and pleasant. They both straightened as he offered a friendly smile seemingly made of porcelain. Bella inadvertently began searching him for any flaws, something he seemed to be void of.

"Hey," she said, realizing how nervous she sounded. What she didn't understand was why she was nervous at all. She reached down to retrieve her bag, which he was holding effortlessly in his hand, despite the weight.

There was a brief moment of contact when her hand touched his and Bella could feel her pulse quicken slightly. He handed it over with a slightly crooked grin, eyes not leaving her face.

She smiled, and even though they had not said more than two words to each other, she couldn't help but be charmed.

"Thanks again," she said.

Bella gave a nod then went off to her room and Tom went to his, but not before glancing back over his shoulder at her.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, reviews are appreciated._


	2. Potions

After an early start for the first day, Bella and her friends went down to breakfast where they compared class schedules over eggs, toast, and various pastries.

Bella noticed how clear the skies were through the enormous windows as she took bites of her breakfast and her friends jabbered on in the background. They talked about which professors were strictest, which ones wouldn't notice copied work, the ones that accepted late assignments, but almost every subject about classes fostered some kind of bellyaching or complaint. Bella loved her friends, but they never stopped bitching about anything. She usually just let them go on and kept quiet until they were finished or she had to leave.

Bella's friends, though they had their flaws, were great. She enjoyed talking to them when they held actual conversations that were interesting, they were fun, and they were loyal. She remembered when they met, it was their first year and the four of them were assigned to room together. Needless to say they became inseparable and roomed every year after that.

Though their friendship extended well beyond the four of them, they were closest with each other. This small group consisted of Imogen Wespurt, Serena Skively, Emma Boardman, and of course Bellatrix.

Imogen had curly, strawberry blonde hair that bounced to the tops of her shoulders. She had a sweet round face made up of wide umber eyes and a small, slightly freckled nose. She was the gossip of the group. More likely, she was the gossip of the school. Even though they usually had something to chatter about, Imogen was always the first one with "real" news. Any developments in a particular "scandal", she knew where to find information and how to get it. The innerworkings of the student body were where her talents proved worthy.

Serena was granted the gift of being tall and thin. Envied by many, she had long yellow hair that flowed stick straight. Her structured face was made up of the brightest blue eyes one could possibly imagine set in silky ivory skin. She also held the record of number of relationships within their circle of friends, it wasn't any secret that she liked boys. A lot. But she was very soft spoken and didn't talk much to others.

And Emma, who was gifted in the athletic aspect of school, was not fairly gifted in academic ventures. Bella, though merely an average student, was the scholar of the group and often helped her sustain marks just above acceptable so she could continue to participate in sports. Emma had dark blonde hair, almost brown and usually pulled back in a ponytail. She was somewhat shorter than the others with a muscular build. She often talked about topics dealing with muggles because she found them interesting. Muggle studies was probably the only class in which she had an exceptional grade. This was something her parents, purebloods, tried to steer her away from, apparently liking it to treason. Bella's parents were the same way about blood purity, they preferred her to socialize only with those of the same blood status.

So they continued to mope about their classes and professors, finding any miniscule thing about them to dislike.

If the weather was particularly nice, they would whine about how it was too warm for their robes. If someone got really good marks on a test, they would still go on about how hard it was and that the kid next to them kept covering up his answers. It got old. It got old fast.

"Ugh, I hope Sprout actually speaks up during her lectures this year or we're all going to fail our O.W.L.'s," Imogen said from across the table holding her schedule.

"Last year I just gave up on even trying to keep notes. I couldn't understand a word she was saying," Serena chimed in with a peeved laugh.

"At least you're here at all," Bella finally said. They all stopped and looked to her, confused.

"Maybe if you focused on the good things about this school and how lucky you are to be here, you might find you'll enjoy it more. Imogen, if you can't hear the professor, _tell _them. If you want good grades, work for them. Don't just sit around gossiping and talking about boys and complaining and then blame the teacher while crying about your marks even more when you fail a bloody test," and with a huff, Bella gathered her books and walked to the entrance of the great hall, leaving her friends scratching their heads in a dust cloud of bewilderment.

Bella's first class of the day was potions with professor Slughorn. He was one of those teachers that would have obvious favorite students, the overachieving-top-of-the-class students. Bella was never outstanding with potions, but at least she tried.

Luckily, when she walked through the door, she saw more than one familiar face and decided to sit with Andrew Vimes, who was adept at potion making, and his girlfriend Emmeline. They made friendly conversation as other students showed up and claimed their tables. The murmur ceased though when Slughorn came in and welcomed everyone to the class.

"Now, don't feel as though you're academically inferior to those in advanced potions because we all learn differently. The lot of you and a majority of this school's students are enrolled in normal classes, where you can expect to be taught as individuals if need be. Others that are enrolled in advanced classes are expected to be able to understand and complete the course the same as all the other advanced students. As a group, they are equal. So personally, I say all of you have the advantage here," he addressed them with an experienced and kind voice and continued by introducing what their syllabus would be for the year.

Bella knew he was completely bilking them, saying that the regular classes were superior to the advanced classes. She knew all his "collectables" were in advanced classes. Her mind meandered until they settled on Tom, once again interrupting her thoughts. She thought about what it would be like being one of the smartest people in school. Then her thoughts shifted again and she wondered what it would be like being _with _the smartest person in school. As well as quite possibly the most handsome…

Just as she began to wonder if she would get to see him again soon, another student walked in, fairly late. Slughorn looked up from reading the safety rules and stretched his face into a wide smile. Bella's face lit up a little, as well.

"Ah, Tom! Come on in, boy," he waved him in. Tom made his way to the front of the class, carrying a substantial amount of books and papers for the first period of the first day of classes.

"Sorry I'm late," he smiled, obviously out of breath from the trek he must've taken to get there in a hurry. All of the girls seemed to swoon in tandem.

"That's quite alright," Slughorn patted him on the back before addressing the class. "This is Mr. Tom Riddle, he's agreed to be of assistance to me this year. Now Mr. Riddle is one of my best students, so if you have a question or need help and I am not available, he will be. Isn't that right?"

"Yes. I'd be happy to help any of you with whatever you might need," Tom smiled to the class. Queue swooning.

"Uh, where should I sit, professor?" Tom asked, beginning to noticeably struggle with the heavy workload. Almost immediately, every girl in class checked for an open space at their table, shifting books and bags around, but Slughorn already spotted a place for him.

"Why don't you sit over there, next to Miss Black," He motioned to the empty seat at Bella's table. Quickly, to prevent dropping everything, he made his way next to her and let out a relieved sigh as he let his belongings break free of his grip. There was a collective disappointment as girls turned back to their safety manuals and Slughorn continued with his overview of the course materials.

"Hello again," he greeted Bella with a smile.

"Hi," she responded, realizing that this was the only word she had ever spoken to him. She was about to tag on an additional comment, but he beat her to it.

"So do you like potions?" He asked just loud enough that she could hear while sorting out some papers and the professor droned on in the background.

"I'm alright," she admitted. "I'm more of a charms girl, myself."

"Ah, you prefer the _real_ magic then."

"I suppose you could say that. I prefer the excitement of it." Bellatrix definitely preferred spells and dueling, something in which she possessed great talent. She believed herself that if she wanted to, she could beat out any student in a duel.

"Well then I understand why this class could give you problems." Tom looked at the cauldrons gathered at he center of the table. "Brewing requires patience and a careful eye. You have to know the precise moment to add an ingredient as well as the exact amount or the whole potion could be ruined."

She smiled at his ardor for how things worked. His passion for learning is what made him a great student. He was always one of the best, if not _the _best student at Hogwarts for many years, and there was no doubt among anyone that he would be great someday. _The greatest, _Bella thought. She just hoped she could be there to see it.

"Well, since you seem to be such a prodigy in everything you do," Tom looked down with a flattered smile, "then I shouldn't have anything to worry about," Bella said just as Professor Slughorn finished going over the syllabus.

"We still have about half a period left, so why don't we get started and see what you remember from last year by preparing a Deflating Draught. Prepare your stations and get to it!" he said excitedly, always very enthusiastic about watching his students learn.

. . .

"This is the tricky part, you have to add just enough water at the right pace so that the lionfish spine will sink _just_ below the surface. If you don't add enough, it won't sink at all, if you add too much, it'll sink to the bottom and char and that'll ruin the entire potion," Tom explained expertly to the students at his table while he measured out some flobberworm mucus and setting it aside for Slughorn's advanced potions class.

Bella carefully laid the spine at the surface of the brew and nervously picked up her beaker of water. This was usually the part that she mucked up, earning her a sympathetic look from the professor before explaining what she did wrong. The frustrating thing was she always knew what went wrong; she just couldn't execute it correctly. Wanting to start the year on a somewhat high note (the potion being a review from last year), she very slowly began to pour the water with a steady stream into the cauldron.

"Ease back a little, take your time. You don't have to rush this part." His voice startled her a little, but the calmness in it was a comfort. Keeping her eyes glued to her cauldron, Bella lessened the water flow and watched as the spine slowly started to descend. Setting the beaker down, her excitement increased as she watched it, suspended in the solution perfectly.

"Perfect!" Tom smiled. "That was brilliant."

Bella beamed back at him, proud. Their mutual excitement was interrupted when Andrew and Emmeline both groaned from the other side of the table. They had both managed to char their spines, looking down into their cauldrons with disappointed expressions.

"Oh, that's alright. It's not easy, it really does take a lot of practice," Tom reassured them, trying to make them feel better, but snuck a grin to Bella as he returned to cutting and crushing some more ingredients.

Professor Slughorn was more than pleased with the final product. Bella was one of only three students, two of them Gryffindor, to successfully brew a deflating draught. He tested them on a toad, thrilled when each of them worked perfectly.

"_Very _good! These are wonderful! The three of you receive extra points on your first quiz and 10 points to each of your respective houses, well done!" He gave Bella an approving pat on the shoulders just as the rest of the class applauded them, some more disappointed than others.

"I'll see you on Wednesday for your first lecture where you will learn the properties and brewing instructions for a strengthening solution, which we will prepare in a couple weeks. Dismissed."

After cleaning their stations and packing up their things, everyone headed off to second period. Tom remained at his station, waiting for the next class.

"Looks like you're better than you thought," Tom said just as Bella began to leave.

"Well, I have you to thank for that," Bella responded, turning back to face him. "I've never gotten that potion right."

"I didn't do anything. You were the only one brewing it."

"Thanks anyway," Bella said before turning to leave again.

"You should give yourself more credit. You know, maybe you're better than alright after all," he raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

"Unless I somehow _magically_ got better at brewing potions of the summer holiday, I'm pretty sure I'm still just alright," Bella laughed and walked away.

"Why not? After all, anything can happen at Hogwarts!" he joked as she approached the door.

"You can say that again," Bella called from the hall. "See you Wednesday!" And she was gone.

Tom sat in the briefly empty classroom with his spider eyes and dehydrated flying seahorses, watching the door with a smile secretly wanting Bellatrix Black to come back and talk with him for the rest of the day.


	3. A Day's End

Bella had made it through her first three classes of the day, all of which were mundane introductions they heard at the beginning of every school term. The teachers were mainly focused on the O.W.L.'s, explaining that no one would be taking it easy on them this year, seeing as they are essentially the most important tests of a young witch or wizard's academic career.

She wasn't going to pretend, the O.W.L.'s put quite the knot in Bella's stomach. Sure, she was a _good_ student, but testing was not where her strengths rested. Now, she was already lugging study guides, textbooks, and homework, fitting what she could into her bag and the rest slowly slipping out of her arms. Trying to make it to the great hall for lunch before everything found its way to the floor, she walked hastily down the stairs. Just as she was about to turn the corner to walk through the threshold of the enormous doors, however, she collided with a small posse of second years, causing what was once a neatly organized stack of papers to spread out on the ground. Bella stood there, a categorically vexed face focused on the group of little girls, while the swooshing of the papers settled.

"Sorry," said the apparent leader of the pack with a disingenuous tone. Her blonde hair was tied back in a slick ponytail. Slytherin.

"If your just gonna keep staring at us, maybe you should take a picture," she snipped. Bella rolled her eyes at the undeveloped cretin before her.

"How about you pick up my things that I spent all morning organizing and get out of my way," Bella snapped right back. The blonde looked down at her things and scrunched her nose with a scoff.

"How about no," she said, seemingly proud of her "clever" defiance and started to walk off. Bella's antagonistic nature began to crawl up out of her, patience not exactly being one of her more prominent virtues.

"How about you pick them up, or I turn you into a bowtruckle, you vapid urchin," Bella flared. She knew it was just papers and that perhaps she was overreacting, but one of the things she found monstrously annoying about second years was that even though they had only been there for one school year, they thought they knew everything about Hogwarts. They felt that the ground they walk on should be made of gold or something, when in fact everyone, even professors, just wanted to throw them down the stairs.

To up the threat, Bella reached in her pocket for her wand, which was enough to make the short blonde change her mind. Sloppily, she gathered the papers and folders, basically threw them at Bella, and hurried off with her friends.

"Bloody twat," Bella muttered as she situated her belongings and tried not to be so irritated since she was only halfway through the day.

"Scaring little girls…charming," a voice said from behind her. She turned to see Tom standing, hands in his pockets, smiling with his eyebrows raised at what had just transpired.

"Oh don't be so smug, it's not good on you," she lied. Of course it was good on him, he could be the most arrogant arse in the entire school and it would still look good on him. He simply chuckled lightly at her remark.

"No one likes second years anyway," she added, nodding in their general direction with a grimace. Tom humored her and made a disapproving face while shaking his head.

"Not one person."

"They're all so…haughty and…stupid."

"Positively brainless," he agreed with ersatz annoyance.

She turned back to face him at this remark. Then he grinned again, making Bella come to the realization that she was indeed being mocked.

"Oh, that's lovely," she feigned chagrin.

"Good, because it's quite fun actually," he teased.

They stood at the entrance of the great hall for a moment, others passing by on their way to lunch.

"Do you wanna-" Bella motioned where all the other students were headed.

"Uh, oh…actually I can't," Tom said quickly with a little disappointment. Bella looked confused though.

"Not that I don't…with you…I just have um…" he seem to stumble on his words a little, something he never did, he always spoke so eloquently and with a purpose.

"I'm just…a little busy at the moment," he settled. "I'll catch you some other time though. Soon." He nodded to her and turned to go up the stairs, Bella watching until she could not see him anymore. She was not entirely disappointed, but part of her wished he would reappear, changing his mind and leaving his work for later. But he didn't.

She turned the other way and unenthusiastically sat down at a table, the leisure of lunchtime somewhat calming for her. She liked keeping to herself when there were others around, chatting to each other and milling about, so long as they were not bothersome.

The soft echoes reverberating from the walls and seemingly endless ceiling always seem the make the hall even larger, despite it's already grand area.

While leafing through her charms textbook and sipping on some pumpkin juice, Bella finally heard the ever recognizable blathering of her friends drawing nearer.

She'd known they spotted her when Serena called her name and they shuffled over.

"Bella, hey," she said sitting down next to her, Imogen taking the seat on her right. Emma was not with them, but Bella thought that wherever she was, it was better than there. She knew they were going to want to talk about what happened that morning when she snapped at them.

"So," started Imogen carefully, "are you…feeling better?"

Bella closed her book and put it back on the stack of others. Only then did she finally look at her friends, a tired face that indicated she had no particular interest in discussing this topic.

"We didn't mean to make you upset," said Serena.

"Yeah," agreed Imogen. "We know it's a privilege to be here and everything. You know how much we love this place."

"Okay," Bella yielded. "So…?" She wasn't exactly sure what they were getting at.

"So what's the real problem?" Serena said, causing Bella to turn and face her. She had a concerned look on her face; one that Bella could tell had genuine compassion. It took a moment before she answered.

"I just…" she began, looking down at her plate. "I didn't have the greatest of holidays, but I don't really want to talk about it." Bella stood, preparing her things to leave, but Serena stopped her, confiscating her textbooks.

"So we won't talk about it. You don't have to leave, we still have at least half an hour before fourth period." Serena's face had a sanguine affection that prompted Bella to change her mind. So she sat back down with a slight smile. For the rest of lunch they had a rather enjoyable conversation and any malevolent feelings Bella had from earlier in the day, even earlier in the month, were forgotten as they basked in the sunlight shining through the large pane glass windows.

. . .

Getting through the first day of classes wasn't so much difficult as it was boring. The professors decided to be forgiving this year apparently since Bella had no assignments due the next day, a feeling she wouldn't experience very much that year she was sure. After supper, everyone went back to their dormitories and either hung out in the common room or went to their own rooms to socialize.

Bella made a spot for herself near the large fireplace, her back against the front of a large black leather couch, which was occupied by a couple of other girls. She sat on a sizable pillow with a book resting on her crossed legs.

Though she wasn't categorized as a nerd by any standards, Bella once again had her charms book out. She was quite adept in charms, which was rather necessary when dueling, something she was even better at. The teachers knew and the students knew, probably even some parents knew, that Bella was one of the best duelers at Hogwarts, her ability to cast a spell with nearly perfect precision in the blink of an eye unsurpassed. She had been practicing, as well, the talent of non-verbal spells, something untaught at Hogwarts.

Bella was very good at thinking on her feet, improvising even. The adrenaline rush that came with casting and dodging spells was an experience she relished. Magic surging through her body, vibrations from her wand causing her heart to race, the shimmering thud of a blocked spell on a shield charm, all feelings Bella savored with a ravenous exhilaration.

However, she felt somewhat unsatisfied. Though they had lessons in combat, there was never any real danger. Bella couldn't help but feel disappointed; she wanted the pressure, the thrill of potential affliction. Not just being thrown back by a spell. Bella wanted to feel as though any moment her opponent could curse her beyond the ability of just being able to get up and walk it off. She wanted the hazard of burns, disfigurement, broken bones. Death. Not because she _wanted _to be hurt, masochism wasn't a particular interest she had. But when someone's life is in danger, they change. They may become a coward, giving into their opponent's commands. Others become evasive by running away from the fight to safety. Some braver, stronger people turn offensive. Facing their opponent head on, determined to conquer. Bella was obviously the latter.

Bella looked up from reading. The room was empty and dark, glowing green save for the fire, which radiated a soft gold and yellow aura; the embers burned an undulating red heat. She was the only person who had not retired to their room yet, she didn't care. It was quiet; the air was cool and untouched making the room feel even more still, the seemingly hydrous flames making the only movement. She took a breath and looked back down at the book.

"Reading anything interesting?" The voice, though immediately recognizable, startled Bella beyond compare. Her whole body jerked as she slammed the book shut and clutched it to her chest with white knuckles. Her eyes closed, she gave a frustrated sigh at the sudden disturbance.

"Sorry," Tom apologized. The sincerity was lost though when he started laughing. "I'm really sorry," he said again still snickering.

"Why is it," Bella started, "that you can't simply announce yourself like a normal person instead of being a ubiquitous smart ass?" She was trying to calm herself, her heart sill racing.

Tom's entertained smile turned to satirical disbelief at the joking insult.

"I resent that," he joked as he made his way over to her, something that caused Bella's heart rate to increase again.

"Good, maybe you'll think twice before scaring me like that again," said Bella, a smile sneaking its way onto her face, something that caused Tom's heart rate to increase.

He sat down next to her, back to the couch and legs bent on front of his chest. He rested his arms on the top of his knees, looking to his left at Bella.

"So what were you reading that had you so enamored my appearance went unnoticed," he asked. Bella held up her textbook, angling the cover toward the fire slightly so he could read it better.

"Ah yes, you're a charms girl. I remember," he said as though visualizing the conversation from their potions class earlier that day. Bella could feel her pulse skip a beat at the fond tone of his recollection.

"I prefer anything involving combat really," she admitted, eyes seemingly anchored to the book's cover. It wasn't until then that she realized how close they were, their shoulders barely touching. Not that she would have wanted him to move, but it was closer than normal for mere acquaintances.

"So…" thoughtfully, "You're a _warrior_ girl," he suggested. Bella couldn't help but laugh, not just because it was funny, but also true.

"Yes. Yeah, I guess I am." She finally took her eyes off the book and turned to look at Tom, not expecting him to be looking right back at her. Between the eye contact and their closeness, there was suddenly an obvious mutual pull. Magnetism almost. His gaze lit something in Bella that she couldn't describe, a feeling with which she was unfamiliar. He seemed to be experiencing something similar for when he opened his mouth to speak, nothing came out but a sigh. He leaned to his left about half an inch, eyes still fixed on Bella's.

People usually find prolonged eye contact uncomfortable or awkward, but Bella felt neither discomfort nor self-consciousness. She did notice the slight wave his dark brown hair made across his forehead. His long eyelashes swept out from his eyes, casting a small shadow. She noticed the fire reflecting in the dark hues of his irises, the separation between them and his pupils almost indiscernible. Though nearly black, they held gleaming warmth. For a moment, Bella thought maybe it was just the flames' reflection, but the thought was fleeting when she suddenly became cognizant of the fact that she was staring.

Blinking her eyes rapidly, she broke the invisible tendril between them and turned her attention to the fire, feeling sudden warmth on her face. Whether it was from the flames or the blood rushing to her face she wasn't sure.

There were a few minutes of silence before anything was said again.

"Jelly beans?" Tom asks, offering a small bag of Bertie Bott's every flavor beans, probably from the train ride in.

Bella looked at him and then the bag of sweets and paused. Then seemingly out of nowhere she began to laugh. Not just a small giggle or restrained chuckle, but an unmitigated, real laugh. It barely took any time at all for Tom to join in, shoulders bouncing and teeth gleaming. Though he was occupied with the silliness of the situation, he still took a moment to notice just how lovely Bellatrix looked when she held no reservations.

The corners of her usually full pout were stretched to her cheeks, revealing a brilliant smile. When she giggled, something she did rarely, she had a tendency to bite her lower lip. Her eyes were nearly closed, the long black lashes extending out above her flushed cheeks. She had a wickedly satisfying laugh, nearly a cackle that filled the space, taking command over any inferior sound.

Bella and Tom shared more laughs each time one of them picked out a foul flavor and gloated whenever they chose a good one, time escaping them, though they couldn't really say that they minded.


	4. Covert Histories

_I'm really sorry this chapter took so long, I've been a little busy. Also, this chapter gave me some troubles, I rewrote it twice and I'm still not thrilled with it but I don't think it'll get any better haha...thanks for the feedback, I hope you like it._

* * *

It had become nothing out of the ordinary for Bella's thoughts to dwell on Tom Riddle for several minutes at a time during the day. Whenever there was a break in her concentration, it had almost become a habit for that dark haired spectacle to seep its way into her mind. It wasn't like Bella to wear he heart on her sleeve, so it was near impossible for anyone to tell what she was feeling, nevertheless thinking. So she went about her schooldays, floating in between an attentive tunnel vision and an absent minded bliss. She wasn't going to deny that this new friend made her happy. Tom was easy to talk to, he was funny, smart, and could carry an actual conversation that consisted of neither gossip nor irritating body bashing.

They seemed to understand each other like no one else in the world could. There was an unspoken fascination between the two, constantly wanting to know more about the other and neither wanting to talk about themselves. Neither came from a perfect home life, and finally being able to find solace in each other was something Bella likened to coming up for breath after being held underwater for years. Never had she known someone like Tom before. And she had the impression that he felt the same way.

For a while, Bella would get irate or jealous looks from other girls as she passed by Tom at her side. It had circulated, naturally, that hr and Tom were "together", which they were not. When the rumor started to die down and people realized they were just good friends, girls began throwing themselves at Tom again, something he seemed oblivious to.

It was true that they weren't an item, but Bella certainly saw their relationship as more than friendship. They were best friends, soul mates to be bold. But Bella felt a bond with Tom that was stronger than any she had experienced. He was special. Her exception.

It was Saturday afternoon. Bella had been in the common room reading when Tom invited her to join him at the Three Broomsticks, to which she happily obliged. After Tom had ordered them a couple butterbeers and a slice of pumpkin pie, only made during the autumn and winter seasons, they sat at a table, eagerly waiting for the warmth to radiate to the rest of their bodies. Tom glanced out the window.

"It's always so beautiful here when it snows," he sighed admiringly. Bella followed his gaze and saw a glistening landscape of whitewashed hills that rolled into a pure horizon. All the water was frozen, and large snowflakes fluttered down to gently land on top of the others, sheet after sheet. Not too far off was Hogwarts, spires and towers jutting into the chilled firmament.

Bella also loved the grounds around the school during the winter, the holiday season bringing a feeling of infectious joy. Hogwarts had a way of bringing people happiness that wasn't artificial, the air seemingly filled with a kind of euphoria inducing drug.

"So are you going home for holidays?" Tom asked. Bella turned from the window with a morose expression, something she normally did at the mention of "home".

"Yeah. Well I sort of have to…to be with the family and all."

"You don't want to go home then?"

Of course Bella loved her sisters, but the rest of her family was entirely abhorrent. They were prejudiced, haughty snobs that took far too much pride in their social status, something they tried to distill in the younger generations as soon as possible. It never really stuck with Bella, seeing her family as a repulsive bunch.

"Well…" she hesitated, not wanting to lie, but also not wanting to talk about why she disliked them so much. "No. No, I would be happy to be anywhere but there for the holidays. Or any day for that matter," she blurted. Just then their order arrived and she distracted herself by wrapping her icy hands around the hot foaming mug and held it close to her face before taking a sip.

"Oh," was all Tom said. Bella wasn't sure if his tone was understanding or retreating and looked up from her drink apologetically. She remembered his situation, not really having a home or family to go home too. He lived in many different places, orphanages, foster homes, and suddenly she felt very guilty.

"Sorry," she said quietly. "I…I know you don't really-"

"Why are you apologizing," he asked suddenly, almost offended.

"I uh…I," Bella stuttered. "I don't know."

Tom smiled at her as he took a swig of his beverage.

"I love Hogwarts. Staying here with a majority of the student body gone? It's peaceful and quiet and…great," he laughed, ducking his head to give himself a chastising look at his uncharacteristically menial vocabulary.

Bella let slip a giggle, slightly jealous of the solitude he had the privilege to experience in the giant castle.

"Although, I have to admit it would be immensely more enjoyable had I a friend here as well. Even thought the stillness is nice, it can get a bit boring," Tom had run his sentences together so quickly that Bella almost didn't catch his implicit suggestion. Once she did though, her eyes widened and she looked up through her lashes to lock eyes as one corner of his mouth tugged upwards.

"You're friends with everyone. I don't think there's one person here that wouldn't want to be your friend," Bella mocked.

"I mean a _good_ friend," there was much less innuendo in this statement since he looked directly into Bella's eyes, but it wasn't meant in a flirtatious manner, he really wanted a friend with him for the holidays and Bella supposed that she was maybe the first honestly true friend he had. She had a tugging in her stomach telling her to stay with him, she wanted to.

"I don't think I can," she said looking away sadly, shattering the tacit game Tom was playing. "My father wouldn't be very happy about that."

"You're sure?" Tom said, hope clinging to his words. She thought for a moment, inhaling the scent of butterscotch and spices slowly.

"My father's not really one for making exceptions. And my family would never let me forget about the year that I ditched them for school," Bella rolled her eyes.

"Not a joyous bunch, are they?"

Bella scoffed and shook her head vigorously.

"I literally can't think of the last time one of them said something nice about someone else. They're all so negative."

"What do they do for fun?" Tom asked with a slightly amused laugh.

"Fun for them is gossiping about how muggleborns and half bloods are abominations to society," Bella did her best impression of a snobby old lady. "It's not funny," she added when Tom laughed more.

"So they're into the whole blood purity debate."

"Oh, to them there's no debate. Purebloods are considered royalty and everything else is considered dirty and obscene. My family takes blood purity very seriously," Bella said as she sipped her butterbeer.

"Makes sense, most Slytherin families are like that. Lots of legacies and whatnot." Tom unbuttoned his coat and shrugged it off his shoulders, placing it carefully on the back of the chair.

"Yeah well, it gets a bit irritating to be honest," she looked down at the table, her family not being one of her favorite topics. "I'm not even allowed to _socialize _with people that aren't pureblood."

Tom looked at her, a sudden soreness in his eyes, but he remained silent. There wasn't much comfort he could offer her at this point, her family wasn't going to change.

"I used to be friends with this girl, her name was Flora Finnigan. I think we were about 6 or so when she moved in next door. Anyway, we spent a lot of time playing together and running around the neighborhood, completely carefree." Bella held a reminiscent smile still staring at the table and Tom focused on her face so intently he could see her irises contract when a beam of sunlight suddenly caused to room to brighten.

"We would go to the park and see who could go higher on the swings, thinking that if he went high enough, we could fly all the way over. We couldn't _wait_ to go to Hogwarts together either, we imagined the day we would get our letters, leave on the train, what house we would be sorted in, all of it."

Bella's smile disappeared suddenly.

"But one day, I guess my father had been talking to her parents, he found out that her mother was actually muggle born. So…he basically spat in her face and dragged me home by the arm, telling me I could never see Flora or her family again. I cried for days. I threw tantrums constantly wishing that I was part of their family instead. I told my dad I wanted muggle born parents too, associating that to actual kindness and affection, something he didn't necessarily provide after mum died. And my dad, well-"

She couldn't really say anymore than that, the afternoon already taking a turn. Not wanting to push any painful memories that he could tell were swimming around in her mind, Tom stood up and put on his coat. He offered a hand to Bella whose eyes glistened with a barely noticeable moisture and without saying another word, they left and made their way back to the school. He also put an arm around her shoulder while they walked, a gesture meant to comfort as well as keep her from seeing the pained expression on his face.

When they got back, people were chatting excitedly about a rumor that there was going to be an important announcement at supper, many making guesses as to what it could be, all rather dull and non-intriguing. Bella wasn't holding her breath.

She should have, though, because near the end of supper, Professor Dumbledore stood at the professor's table to address the animated group of students.

"Quiet, quiet," he stated calmly. Every person in the room ceased all activity and fell silent, listening intently, as was always the case when Dumbledore spoke.

"As the end of your first term approaches, I know that excitement runs high and attention spans fall short. But I would like to advise you to keep your fullest level of attention in class, especially those of you in your fifth year, and carry on with your studies. That being said, I have a special announcement to make."

Anyone who wasn't paying attention before certainly was now. Some wiggled anxiously in their seats.

"Some of you may know that our dear Galatea Merrythought, professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, has made the onerous decision to retire this year," Dumbledore said.

Many students started to mumble to their neighbors, some with disappointed looks, some with completely passive faces, but Dumbledore waited patiently for their attention again.

"As is tradition as Hogwarts, we have planned to hold a celebration for her valiant efforts and contributions to this school. So as to show our dear obeisance and admiration…" he paused, preparing for the ineluctable reaction, "…there will be held here in two weeks time…a ball."

Almost immediately, the hall erupted in excited shuffling with no effort at all being made to stay relatively quiet. Bella wasn't a huge fan of dances. There were people crowding, someone always ends up crying in the girls lavatory, and all that effort just to try and "out-pretty" all the other girls were things that she couldn't help but be put off by. One of the few things she did like was how beautifully the Great Hall was decorated and the meals that were prepared for the dinner before.

Dumbledore still stood at his chair and watched the waves of joy roll through the rippling sea of students.

"Dismissed," he called suddenly, prompting everyone to stand at the same time and rush to the door, hurrying off to their dorms to plan for the event only a fortnight away. They would send for anything and everything; new shoes, jewelry, dress robes, etc.

Bella walked back to the common room as animatedly as any other night, which wasn't really at all. Maybe she didn't have to go. But she did like Professor Merrythought, it would be inconsiderate not to show up to what was essentially her retirement party. She wondered how Tom felt about it.

She started looking for him, craning her neck over the crowd around her, but to no avail, so she decided to just head back to her room.

Once there, Bella was greeted by her room mates. All had practically emptied the contents of their trunks comparing the components of the one formal outfit they were required to bring that year. Going back to their usual girly chatter, Bella wondered how they were even friends. Sometimes they got along perfectly, but most of the time, more often now, they were completely different.

With a weary shuffle, she went to her bed and lay down with a soft thud, turning onto her side to face the window and her back to the rest of the room. The sky had frozen into a dark blue, the reflection of the moonlight on the snow preventing it from turning black. There was a complete absence of wind as she watched soft snowflakes drift down in a silent whisper. Bellatrix could almost feel the crisp air fill her nostrils as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_Wow, I'm sorry, I really don't like this chapter at all...it's not cohesive and it's all over the place and I would love for it to be better, but I was not about to redo it a fourth time. Sorry again, this is definitely not my best work..._

_UPDATE 30/8/2013: I'm sorry chapter 5 is taking so long, I went on vacation where I got a little writing done, came back, and have since been dealing with a lot of unpleasant stuff. But I got a lot finished today and will be editing the final draft tomorrow so it should be up by the end of the week. Sorry again, hopefully soon I'll be able to get my groove back and write more often because I love it. Thanks :D_


	5. Nightmares

_I'd once again like to apologize for the long waits between updates. Anyway, a nice shiny new chapter!_

* * *

Bella woke with a start; her vicious black curls were matted, sticking to her forehead and the back of her neck. Her blankets and sheets were violently wadded down by the foot of the bed and a pillow was tossed to the floor. Covered in an uncomfortable layer of sweat, Bella sat up and breathed deeply to try and calm her racing heart.

_Oh no. Not again. Not now._

She pressed her hands to her face as if to wipe away the weariness of a restless sleep, but instead wiped away a handful of moisture.

Bella looked to the other familiar figures in their beds, the immense peace that sleep is supposed to create encapsulating their softly rising and falling bodies. It was still dark outside, Bella inferred a couple hours after midnight. The snow had stopped, for a little while at least, and the soft glow of the moon lit the room slightly.

Bella knew that she was not in a state to fall back asleep, wide-awake from the evocative nightmare. She didn't dare try either, not only because of the discomfort from the damp fabric clinging irritatingly to her body, but the nerves that should she close her eyes again, the same images would fill her thoughts uncontrollably. She didn't move, not entirely sure what to do, until her nerves had calmed slightly and her heart rate returned to normal.

So she decided for a bath.

Very quietly Bella got out of bed, returning the bedclothes and pillows to back to their respective locations.

Quickly and almost completely silent, Bella shed her pajamas and wrapped herself in a soft black bathrobe given to her as a gift from an aunt, who assured her it was an extremely high quality textile from the heart of China, tying it closed before tiptoeing to the door. The faint patterns and swirls so carefully stitched were suddenly evident in the soft light, practically invisible in any other setting. Though the robe was beautiful and very fitting for her family and house, Bella would have much rather had something a bit heavier, warmer. The air practically moved through the fabric, causing Bella to squeeze her arms tightly across her chest.

The steps were cool under her bare feet, the cold air outside seeming to diffuse itself through the stone castle. The enchanted fire still burned faintly from the fireplace in the common room as she slid stealthily by and eventually made it to the girls lavatory undetected, not even waking a single painting. The bathroom was fairly well lit; moonlight permeating the stain glass windows. The light created a polychromatic pattern on the floor, which dimmed slightly when some wispy grey clouds intercepted the luminescence.

Bella looked once more to check that the coast was clear and made her way to the large bath. Though the perspiration had dried, she could still feel an arid saline layer on her skin as she moved to turn the faucets and filled the bath with hot water. There was now a cloud of steam that filled the lavatory and swirled languorously behind Bella with her every movement.

She looked over her shoulder, not that she could see much through the vapor, before shedding her robe and slipping into the almost scalding water, her body promptly enveloped in a mass of bubbles. The perfume of the soap surged through her nose and she inhaled the scent of violet, jasmine, rose, and hyacinth, accompanied by a mixture of peach and melon. Though she usually abhorred the strength of the fruity bubble baths, Bella found this one to be fairly tolerable as she sat herself comfortably on a small ledge to the side. The bathroom fell quiet again, so quiet that the only audible sound was the effervescence of the bubbles as they popped.

Trying to clear her thoughts as she soaked in the floral brew, she found her mind kept wandering back to the images fresh from her night terror. Feeling unsettled, Bella involuntarily shifted and repositioned herself as though entirely uncomfortable.

A few minutes later, the steam had settled and the moon had reappeared from behind dark clouds, the white light even brighter than before.

Bella moved to the center of the large bath, but crouched down into the warmth again when she felt a chill of cold air rush along her exposed back. She then used the better vantage point to look out the window and noticed it was snowing again, very lightly. Watching the flakes float about in the air proved to be very calming, almost like watching fish swim aimlessly in a tank, distracting Bella from her dark memory.

A majority of her black curls already soaking in the aromatic amalgam, Bella decided to dip the rest of her mane back in the water keeping only her face above the surface. Deciding to hell with it, she submerged herself entirely underwater after taking a deep breath and closing her eyes.

The whole world seemed muted, any and all noises muffled and distorted beyond comprehension. The water was deep enough in the center for Bella to somewhat suspended under the white foam above her, likening herself to the lionfish spine in a brewing Deflating Draught. She kept her eyes closed, not wanting to risk the soapy sting later. It was nearly a minute when she decided to come up, doing so begrudgingly while wishing she could just stay under water for the next year.

She surfaced to be greeted by the cold air, which she gulped, chilling her throat slightly. Running her hands over her face, the warmth evaporated from her skin causing it to produce an icy layer of goose pimples.

If these dreams were in fact returning to her, it was at a most inopportune time, Bella was in her fifth year, hell for Hogwarts students thanks to the O.W.L.'s, she had piles of assignments all challenging, and she was to return home for Christmas, which was rapidly approaching.

That thought prompted her to remember the peer-entitled "_Merry Ball_" named after the retiring professor as well as the jubilant nature of the holiday season. She found herself dreading it, not for reasons that others might find obvious, but because it was that much closer to her return home. She couldn't remember a time when she was ever happy to be with her extended family. Or even her immediate family for that matter, excluding her sisters.

Bella hoped no one would ask her to go, she wouldn't say yes, but she'd rather avoid any awkward social situation altogether.

"Bella?"

Finally finding some distraction, Bella's reverie was broken when she was startled by the voice behind her, obviously not hearing whoever it was come in. She whipped around furiously, her wet hair following suit and slapped itself across her neck and shoulders.

"Andi, what the _hell?_" Bella nearly shouted before remembering the hour. "What the hell are you doing?" she whispered loudly with just as much irritation had she yelled it.

"I could ask you the same thing," Andi said motioning to the bath with a slight yawn. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Do _you_? Why are you up?"

"Why do you think?" Andromeda motioned to the many stalls on the other side of the restroom. Bella looked over her shoulder in the general direction and tried to hide her sheepish expression at the manifest situation. She crossed her arms, suddenly noticing that the enormous amount of bubbles had depleted considerably, leaving areas of the water unblemished and clear. Sinking slightly lower, she angled her body away, feeling uncharacteristically exposed.

Andromeda gave her a questioning look, seeing the discomfort in her sister's face.

"What's going on?" There was only one reason she could think of that would have Bella up in the middle of the night in this state.

"It came back, didn't it? You had the dream again," the last part wasn't so much a question as it was a statement. Bella looked down at the water, watching a small cluster of bubbles fused together floating aimlessly around her. Andromeda sighed knowingly and made her way over to a large armoire sitting at a wall next to the bath area. She opened the door and pulled out a dark green bath towel, then made her way over to the edge of the water and offered it to Bella.

Bellatrix made her way out of the water and wrapped herself in the softness of the towel, shivering slightly at the bitter draft coming from the hall.

Without saying anything to one another, Andromeda picked up the silken robe from the floor and they both made their way back to the common room.

"Was it the same?" Andromeda asked quietly as they stood by the stairs leading up to the girls' dormitories.

"Of course it was the same, it's always the bloody same," Bella responded harshly.

"Well what are you going to do? It's never happened at school before."

"You don't think I thought of that? This could cost me my future! I can't afford any distraction this year. It's too much, I'm already falling behind." Bella brought her hands to the side of her face and laced her fingers through her hair with an exasperated sigh.

"And Tom Riddle isn't a distraction?" Andromeda crossed her arms and gave her sister a serious look. Bella froze and glared at her.

"Excuse me?" she seethed.

"You know he's a half-blood," Andromeda informed her. "Dad would disow-"

"Shut _up, _Andi!" Bella snapped in a heated roar, no thought of the sleeping bodies upstairs.

"Will you be quiet?" Andromeda chastised. Bella ignored her.

"I don't care for a second what dad would think," her sister had apparently hit a chord. "And I don't care that he's a 'half blood', he's a good person and my friend. Tom Riddle is my _friend._" She started up the stairs but was caught by the arm.

"You can't associate with him, someone is bound to find out and…and…" she couldn't find the right words. Bella stood angrily waiting.

"And _what,_" she said dangerously slow, patience with her little sister wearing.

Andromeda abandoned her thought altogether.

"I don't want anything to happen to you, and I know Narci wouldn't either." Bella's face softened in surprise. "But if you keep spending all this time with Riddle, there's a good chance, being in Slytherin house, that word will spread. You know how families talk."

"Why should I care how families talk about m-"

"Because of who could hear it," she cut her off. "Dad would…I don't _know_ what he would do, and I don't really fancy finding out."

"What would you have me do then?" Bella asked flippantly. "Kick him to the curb? He's one of my best friends, I can't just _not _see him anymore." She nearly scoffed at the inconceivable idea. At least it was inconceivable to _her_.

Andromeda simply looked, with almost sad eyes. Bella was somewhat taken aback, her sister couldn't seriously expect her to just abandon Tom.

"I can't…I'm not going to-"

"Is it worth it? Think of the outcome...

Can you really live with that?

_Is Tom worth it_?"

A long pause. Bella looked at her sister then shook her arm free and wheeled up the stairs, the quiet patter of her feet growing fainter until the final sound of a closing door brought the silence back once more.

. . .

The words rang. Louder than church bells.

Angry. Confused. Torn.

_Is it worth it?_

Denial. Apathy. Loathing.

_Is it worth it?_

Pain.

_Is it worth it?_

Pain.

_Is it worth it?_

Pain.

_Is it worth it? Is it worth the pain? The abuse? The scars? The nightmares? The fear? The screaming? The eminent defeat? The sl-_

Bella woke with a start.

. . .

"Hello? Hell_oooo_? Are you okay? Bellatrix?"

Face resting in her hand, Bella's eyes shot open when someone lightly shook her shoulder. Being awoken so suddenly, there was a brief confusion as to where she was. She looked down at the table to see several papers and an open textbook stacked on top of a few other textbooks. Her sudden movements caused her ink well to almost topple and spill all over her work if Tom hadn't caught it.

"Whoa, that was close? Were you sleeping?" he asked, stopping up the small well and setting it away from the pile of papers.

"Um…uh, yeah. I guess so," Bella muttered still trying to organize her thoughts while repeatedly squeezing her eyes shut and opening them entirely again.

"You alright?" Tom asked her again.

"Yeah. Yes." She started stacking her assignments, preparing for first period, which on Thursdays was History of Magic. She was hoping, however pointless, that she wouldn't fall asleep during the lecture that was planned for today, but if she had accidentally nodded off just trying to do her homework, there wasn't much hope.

"Just one of those nights I suppose."

"Are you sure you're okay? Because you're…not really…looking at me. At all," Tom said unsurely, wondering if she wasn't telling him the truth or if she really was just tired.

At his observation, Bella looked up at him, realizing that he was right. But she couldn't stop thinking of Andromeda's words, sticking to the back of her head like a fly stuck in treacle.

Her eyes _were _tired. And she did seem in a daze, falling asleep at breakfast. Tom decided everything was alright. Mostly. For now.

"I've got to get to class. See you," Bella got up and left without another word moving with the rest of the students going to first period.

Just as she expected, History of Magic was incredibly dull. They had been focusing on the Giant Wars for weeks now, she didn't know how the professor could possibly talk about one topic for so long. Trying her best not to let the lack of sleep and the monotonous tone of professor Binns' voice coax her into closing her eyes even for a second, Bella began scribbling idly on a scrap piece of parchment.

Class ended abruptly. Startling her a little, she snapped back into reality, feeling as though she fell asleep with her eyes open. Twice it had happened and it wasn't even lunch time yet.

_Great. _She thought. _This is going to be a long day._


End file.
